Love on the Brain
by japrilisendgame
Summary: A little future Japril fluff


It was a typical Thursday in the Avery family household. April had gotten out of her meeting with the Harper Avery Foundation early and had come home to start dinner. She began chopping the onions, carrots, and making homemade dough for Jackson's favorite meal chicken pot pie. She was caught off guard when she heard the front door open and lingering voices. No one was supposed be home yet. Harriet had cheer practice after school every day until late and the twins, Isaiah and Elijah, had football practice. Jackson was teaching a burn center skills lab tonight and then he would go pick the boys up from practice. They would all be back in time for dinner, which wouldn't be ready for a while, so she knew no one should be home yet.

April entered the living room, startled to see Harriet walking through the front door with a boy she had never seen before. She did not recognize him as one of her usual cheer friends, which is who she was intended to be with at practice this afternoon. April wasn't quite sure what to make of the two, but she figured her daughter would explain to her why she was skipping cheer to bring a boy home.

"Hi, mom." Harriet said a little uneasy not expecting anyone to be home. Her mom was scheduled to have a long foundation meeting today and her dad was supposed to pick her brothers up after their football practice, which had only just started. She hadn't intended on anyone being home, but at least her mother it was better than her father. She knew bringing a boy over could potentially set him off and having her mom there would help soften the blow, she just hoped her mom could be more understanding.

"Oh, hey! You're home early. And who is this?" April said while wiping her hands on the front of her apron to get rid of some of the flour, before reaching out shake his hand.

"Uh, this is Jordan. He's a friend of mine." Harriet introduced him with a small smile on her face, "Cheer was cancelled today, so we thought that we could work on our group project together, if that's ok?''

"Of course that's okay," April said in her usual cheerful voice. April could tell that Harriet liked this boy, so who was she to say no to any innocent study date? "Just stay downstairs in the living room and if you guys need anything just ask. I'll be in the kitchen."

April left the two teens alone and went back to preparing dinner, but already knew the storm that was coming when Jackson got home.

About an hour later April heard Jackson and the boys come home and was already ready for all hell to break loose.

"Hey, we're home." Jackson said as walked through the garage door into the kitchen with their sons Isaiah and Elijah.

"Hey. Okay boys go upstairs get cleaned up and start your homework. Dinner will be ready soon." April said as she continued to move around the kitchen.

The boys groaned and did as they were told and went upstairs. After the boys left, Jackson wraps his arms around April's middle and rests his chin on her shoulder

"Need any help with anything before dinner?" Jackson asked as he kissed April's cheek and neck as she continued to make dinner. Even after all these years Jackson still wanted April to feel special and beautiful.

"Actually there is. Can you go check on Harriet she didn't have cheer practice today so her and a friend are in the living room working on a project."

"Sure." Jackson gave April one last kiss on the cheek before he left to check on his little girl. April braced her hands on the counter knowing that Jackson was about to lose it at the sight of his little girl with a boy.

"Um, everything ok in here?" Jackson says as he walks around the corner from the kitchen into the living room to see a sight he didn't like.

"Hi, daddy! Everything's great!" Harriet responds with a bright smile and her dimples that were just like her mom

"I don't think so... April!" Jackson yelled the quick loving looking of adoration at his daughter was replaced by anger at the sight of this boy's hand on his daughter's thigh.

"Yes?" April asked hesitantly as she walked around the corner knowing that Jackson wouldn't be that understanding of the current situation.

"I want this boy out of my house. Now." Jackson yelled making Jordan look scared and uncomfortable

"What? Why?" Harriet jumped up

"Don't argue with me Harriet. You didn't ask permission so it's not allowed." Jackson snapped obviously letting his emotions get the better of him

"I didn't know I needed to? Mom said it was ok." Harriet said as she gestured towards April.

"April?" Jackson asked slightly annoyed that April allowed this and didn't even try and run it by him first.

"Why don't we discuss this in the kitchen Jackson and let the kids continue to work." April said calmly in hopes that Jackson might calm down to and lead Jackson back to the kitchen.

Jackson and April walked into the kitchen slowly as April kept her head down trying to avoid Jackson's eyes and leaned against the counter waiting for the onslaught she was about to endure.

"What were you thinking? You said a friend not a boy!" Jackson yelled not so much mad but, hurt that he didn't know about this before he came home.

"Jackson. Calm down. She can have a boy as a friend!" April finally responded

"No she can't. I refuse to allow it."

"Relax! There is nothing wrong with her having a guy friend. We were friends for years!"

"Oh yeah? Look how we turned out" Waving his wedding ring in the air and gesturing at the variety of family photos throughout the years that graced their refrigerator.

"Don't do that okay. Not all boy and girl friends turn out to be more than friends. She can an innocent study session and not end up sleeping with the guy. I mean she is half me after all so you really shouldn't worry about her having sex or boys liking her for that matter. It's just an innocent study session okay." The last part was more to herself than to Jackson but he still heard it.

" The mentality you have is why I am acting like this April. I don't want her to be you. I don't want her to think that guys don't like her or think she's not beautiful, or never know when a guy is into her like you seem to still believe." Clearly annoyed by the time he got to the end of his mini rant.

" Of course I would believe that Jackson, because NO guy ever did like me or thought that I was beautiful I was duckie remember. I practically had to throw myself onto you just to get you to see me as more than just your dorky best friend." April said obviously getting a little emotional from the painful memory she brought up about her childhood and most of her adulthood. She bit her lower lip in an attempt to not to cry over this especially because she was happily married and had a wonderful husband and these things shouldn't affect her like this anymore.

"You have no idea do you" Jackson said looking at her with compassion rather than the anger he had previously had seeing that she still believed everything she just said even though she shouldn't and should know that

" No idea about what Jackson, we are supposed to be talking about Harriet not unpacking our- "

"April!" Not letting her change the subject that she started or let her still believe that she is an ugly duckling. " Those study sessions before the boards were not innocent at least not to me. They were made me really start falling for you maybe I was falling for you before that. Anyway I don't exactly know when it started but I do know that I was in love with you in San Francisco. All those late nights we spent together most of the time we barely even studied, we would just sit and talk about anything and everything all night. I could tell you everything and talking to you was the best part of my day and the thing I looked forward to."

April could see that Jackson was telling the truth. She could see the passion and emotion in his eyes and that he was telling the truth not just saying this to make her feel better. She realized now how stupid she was for even bring this up in the first place since she had been married for over 10 years and shouldn't still be worried about boys liking her.

"Okay. I get it you liked me and I didn't notice can we move back to our daughter now." April said trying to move on from her confidence issues that she still had and wanting to get back to the issue at hand.

"Okay. So what do you know about this kid." Noticing April wanted to change the subject back to Harriet.

April bit her lip nervously because she didn't know anything about this boy she only knew his name

"Wow really April. You know nothing about this boy" Jackson's anger back

"Sorry, okay I didn't think anything of this I just thought it was an innocent study session. So why don't we ask him about himself over dinner. His name is Jordan if that helps"

" I think I have better idea. Iasiah. Elijah. Downstairs. NOW!" "

April gave Jackson a skeptical look as to what Jackson would want with the twins and how they were even involved.

" What dad" the twins groaned " Is dinner ready yet we are starving"

" Not yet. But you can tell me everything you know about the boy that is in my living room with his hands all over my daughter."

"Jackson" April sighed

" What his hands were all over her" Jackson shot back at April. Then turned to the twins "Go."

" What's in it for us" Isaiah said with a mischievous smirk on his face similar to his father's . He was clearly Jackson's son.

" I will give you each 200 bucks" Jackson said with grin on his face

"What! No Jackson you ar-"

"He's the star football player." Isaiah responded quickly before April can finish her sentence

April had given up trying to stop this. Might as well let the twins tell Jackson about this boy since she couldn't herself.

"See, April. That boy is up to no good!"

"Jackson... You were the star football player too..."

"Exactly! So I know! What do you think was on my mind at 17 when I was the football star. I'll tell you hooking up with hot cheerleaders." Jackson said while pointing in the direction of living room.

April gave Jackson a look because he knew how much she hated it when he brought up all the girls he had sex with before her. Also the twins were standing right there and didn't want to give them any ideas on how to behave when they got to be that age.

"You may know, but let's wait and get to know him before we pass judgement or think he only wants to get into our daughter's pants. Boys go get your sister and her friend it's time for dinner"

When the boys were out of earshot she turned to Jackson "Be nice and have an open mind. Harriet seems to really like him so don't ruin it for her please."

"I am not making any promises." Jackson winked.


End file.
